Compartmented container



June 2, 1953 I. c. RYDER COMPARTMENTED- CONTAINER Filed June 7, 1951 I I I II II II 1/ II IIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIII/III ATTORNEYS Patented June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMPARTMENTED CONTAINER Irvin Ryder, Arlington, Va.

Application June 7, 1951, Serial No. 230,359

7 Claims.

This invention relates to containers and more particularly to a compartmented container in which portions of the same material or portions of different materials may be packed, as desired.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved container of the character indicated having a body formed as a homogeneous integral unit, preferably of plastic such as polyethylene which is tough but fissurable, and upon which the lid can be hermetically sealed by simple and well known methods.

A further object of the invention is to provide a compartmented container of the character indicated which can be separated into independent units conforming with the interior compartments, each of which will remain hermetically sealed until further opened.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container which can be readily opened and the content removed without the use of tools.

Further objects will more particularly appear in the course ofthe following detailed description.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

One sheet of drawing accompanies this specification as part thereof, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of one embodiment of the improved container, sealed;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan View of the container of Figure 1, partly broken away to show interior construction;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross section taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a slightly modified form;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective of a corner of the improved container with the lid off Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the sealed container; and

Figure 7 is a transverse cross section taken on line 'I-I of Figure 6.

The present invention is herein illustrated for purposes of simplicity as showing a single partition dividing the container into two compartments, although it will be understood that a greater number of compartments can be provided, as desired, in conformity with the principles herein illustrated.

In the drawing, I indicates a box-like container formed as a unitary homogeneous element, the

side, walls and bottom being integral, and preferably formed from a suitable plastic impervious to moisture and air.

A lid or cover 2 conforming in size and shape with the container I is provided and when the package is filled this cover is hermetically sealed to the upper surfaces of the walls of the container I.

Formed integrally with the body I is the partition 3 of which, as indicated above, there may be as many as desired, and this partition is characterized by having spaced side walls separated as herein illustrated by a plurality of vertically extending spaced air channels 0 separated by relatively narrow pillars 5 integral with the side wall surfaces, so that the side walls of the partition are integral with the side walls of the container at the ends of the partition, and the side walls of the partition are separated by a plane of cleavage defined by the air spaces 4 of the relatively narrow separating pillars 5, thus permitting the fracturing of the package along this plane of cleavage by pressure applied on either side thereof This cleavage of the package is further aided by weakening grooves 6, l and 8, all of which grooves it will be noted lie in a common plane with the plane of cleavage previously mentioned and'in- 'herent in the partition structure. As herein illustrated, the groove or cleavage line 1 is located in the bottom of the package, the cleavage lines 6-6 in the opposed side walls, and the line 8 is formed in the top 2.

To facilitate the opening of the separable coinpartment units, a peripheral groove 9 is provided within the sealing area between the under face of the cover 2 and the upper faces of the side walls of the container I, this groove 9 being conveniently formed either in the upper face of the side walls I, or in the cover, or in both the side walls and the cover. As herein illustrated, it is located partially in the cover and partially in the upper face of the wall I, as at 9. a

In Figure 5 the groove is illustrated as entirely in the upper portion of the container, as at I2.

To further facilitate the opening of the separate compartments, a wire may be positioned within the grooves 9 or I2, which wire extends, as illustrated in Figure 2, from adjacent the partition on one side about the perimeter, through and within the grooves 9 or I2, having its opposite end extending through the wall of the container and exteriorly exposed and being preferably provided with a finger grip I I.

To facilitate the fracturing of the cover over each of the compartments, a weakening groove I3 is provided in the under face of the cover on each side of the partition, thus pemitting a downward pressure on the cover to fracture the top, as illustrated in Figure 7 in dotted lines.

If the wire is omitted the groove still provides a weakening line peripherally of each compartment on either side of the partition, facilitating the fracturing of the top. If the wire [0 is provided, a pull on the finger grasp II will sever the wall of the container through the narrow portion adjacent the groove, as will be apparent.

Various modifications both in the number and arrangement of the partitions and the particular arrangement of the weakening elements adapted to define the plane of cleavage within the partition, will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and within the scope of the present invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A compartmented container comprising, a boxlike container formed as a unitary element from a tough but fissurable plastic with an integral interior partition extending from side to side and the full depth of the box, said partition formed with a plurality of vertical spaced channels and spaced side faces whereby said partition is weakened on a plane of cleavage parallel with but intermediate the side faces thereof, with a lid formed with a weakening groove aligned with and in the plane of cleavage of the partition, said lid adapted to be sealed to the upper faces of the side walls-of the container and partition and said container further provided with weakening grooves in its sidewalls and bottom aligned with and in the plane of cleavage of the partition whereby said container can be broken on said plane of cleavage to provide complete and sealed units.

2. A compartmented container as specified in claim 1 in which a groove is formed positioned within the marginal sealing area by which the cover is attached to the top faces of the container walls, said groove extending from a point adjacent the partition on one side around the perimeter of the: top to a point adjacent the partition on the other side and the cover is provided with a medial weakening groove extending from a point adjacent the partition to the opposed wall of the container.

3. A compartmented container asspecified in claim 2 with a flexible cutting filament positioned in said marginalgroovewith one end extending extericrly of the container to afford a grasp. V

4. A compartmented container as specified in claim 1 in which a groove is formedpositioned within the marginal sealing area by which the cover is attached to the top faces of the container walls, said groove extending from a point adjacent thepartition on one side around the perimeter of the top to a point adjacent the .partitionon the other side.

5. A compartmented container as specified in claim 1 in which a groove is formed positioned within the marginal sealing area by which the cover is attached to the top faces of the container walls, said groove extending from a point adjacent the partition on one side around the perimeter of the top to a point adjacent the partition on the other side, with a flexible cutting filament positioned in said marginal groove with one end extending exteriorly of the container to afford a grasp.

6. A compartmented container comprising, a box-like container formed as a unitary element from a tough but fissurable material with an integral interior partition extending from side to side and the full depth of the box, said partition formed with a plurality of vertical spaced channels and spaced side faces whereby said partition is weakened on a plane of cleavage parallel with but intermediate the side faces thereof, with a lid formed with a weakening groove aligned with and in the plane of cleavage of the partition, said lid adapted to be sealed to the upper faces of the side walls of the container and partition and said container further provided with weakening grooves in its side walls and bottom aligned with and in the plane of cleavage of the partition whereby said container can be broken on said plane of cleavage to provide complate and sealed units.

7. A ccmpartmented container comprising, a box-like container formed as a unitary element from a tough but fissurable moldable material with an integral interior partition extending from side to side and the full depth of the box, said partition formed with a plurality of vertical spaced channels and spaced side faces whereby said partition is weakened on a plane of cleavage parallel with but intermediate the side faces thereof, with a lid formed with a weakening groove aligned with and in the plane of cleavage of the partition, said lid adapted to be sealed to the upper faces of the side walls of the container and partition and said container further provided with weakening grooves .in its side walls and bottom aligned with and in the plane of cleavage of the partition whereby said container can be broken on said plane of cleavage to provide complete and sealed units.

IRVIN C. RYDER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 736,770 Parmenter Aug. '18, 1903 1,412,175 Gasset Apr. 11, 1922 1,510,260 Cyrenius Sept. 30, 1924 1,?3'76388 Bunz Mar. 9, 1926 1,842,205 Russell Jan. 19, 1932 2,138,241 Koch et a1 Nov. 29, 1938 2,287,729 Fallert June 23, 1942 12,335,159 'Salfis'berg Nov. 23, 1943 

